subject: Five Things Your Landscaper Can Do This Spring To Spruce Up Your Yard [print this page] Spring is a period of new growth and new beginnings. It's also the time to examine your yard to determine what must be done and to do a little dreaming about how it can be transformed into your own personal retreat. Working with a full service landscaping firm in five critical areas can help accomplish this.
First, look at your lawn. Is it lush and full, defined by sharp garden trimming? A landscaper can provide top quality lawn care and counsel you about what type of grass is best for your climate and soil. He or she can also ensure it is mowed at the right height and fertilized properly.
Next, look at your shrubs and trees. Are they correctly pruned? This includes inspecting for dead or diseased branches, cutting out overgrowth that blocks light and water from the plant's core, and achieving a beautiful look. Most of us don't have the skills or knowledge for this and if you don't, consider hiring a professional landscaper to do it for you.
The outside of your house benefits from a variety of textures and colors in much the same way as the inside. High-end landscaping firms have the expertise on staff to counsel you on how to choose and cultivate vegetation that provide visual interest at various levels - plants that are hardy for your climate zone and soil type, and will look beautiful all year long.
Speaking of soil, did you know that this simple stuff is the most important part of your residential landscaping? When you fertilize, water and mulch, you're actually doing it to the soil, not the flowers. Thus nutritious soil helps guarantee healthy plants. Your gardener can test for your soil's pH level, which is a measurement of its alkalinity or acidity; this tells your lawn specialist how healthy the soil really is. pH is measured on a scale of 1-14, with 7 being considered neutral. A pH below that is considered acidic; anything above 7, alkaline.
Most plants are fairly easygoing when it comes to their pH requirements, being just fine in the "neutral zone." If you're planting anything like blueberries, though, you'll need a very acidic soil. Some flowers, such as lilacs, require more alkalinity. If you're unfamiliar with what various plants need to survive, you can be sure your professional landscaper can monitor the situation.
Don't overlook weeding. Did you know that the best safeguard against weed growth in your yard is a healthy lawn? Lawn care professionals do. If the weeds have already appeared, your landscaper will know the perfect method to eliminate them without damaging the environment with harmful toxins. He or she knows how to adjust the mower to mow at the correct height, when to water and how much, and how to apply a mulch blanket around your other plants to keep out invaders.
Your house is your largest investment and deserves expert treatment. Before you start your spring cleanup or consider some hedging to add definition to your outside "rooms," consider consulting a residential lawn specialist.
